Paul Lewis is excellent as Titus Andronicus dealing with the mutilation of his daughter, played by Eli Matthewson. Photo / Supplied
Director brings great clarity to Shakespeare's complex drama, with all-male cast filling demanding roles It is never difficult to find contemporary events that point to the relevance of Titus Andronicus, but Shakespeare's reflections on the extremes of human cruelty are given particular poignancy by the recent murder of a young soldier on a London street.
The play is filled with murder, rape, mutilation and
cannibalism, but the production by Unitec graduates avoids any gratuitous violence and builds an almost overwhelming identification with the victims.
The script has been skilfully truncated to a harrowing 90 minutes that brings great clarity to the convoluted narrative while preserving the extraordinary power of Shakespeare's language.
Director Benjamin Henson achieves a boldly theatrical staging with inventive stylisation of the violence that allows for emotional distancing and encourages reflection on the depth of human depravity.
